Ferran campswinterroadmaintenancemanagementgeneralitatcatalunya2013

14TH INTERNATIONAL WINTER ROAD CONGRESS Andorra, 4-‐7 February 2014

Ferran Camps Roqué

Deputy Director-General for Road Network Operations Directorate-General for Land Transport Infrastructure [email protected]

Winter Road Maintenance Management in the Government of Catalonia’s Road Network

14th INTERNATIONAL WINTER ROAD CONGRESS Andorra, 4-7 February 2014


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1 GENERAL FRAMEWORK ! The road network ! Main characteristics of winter road maintenance ! Objectives

2 ORGANIZATION AND AVAILABLE RESOURCES

3 ACTION PLANS ! Preventive Winter Road Maintenance Plan ! Curative Winter Road Maintenance and Snow Removal Plan ! Special Snow Emergency Plan

The Directorate-General for Land Transport Infrastructure (DGIMT) activates the Winter Road Maintenance Plan for over 150 days a year. The aim of this plan is to ensure safety, smooth flow and comfort on the road network managed by the Government of Catalonia.

! Control and road operation centres ! Human resources ! Available machinery

CONTENTS



General framework 1


XIV CONGRÉS INTERNACIONAL DE VIABILITAT INVERNAL Andorra, 4-‐7 de febrer 2014

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The Catalan road network

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Catalonia has 12,063 km of road network, of which 6,082 km are managed by the Government of Catalonia

! Catalan roads connect the entire territory and provide service 24 hours a day, 356 days a year to population and socioeconomic centres throughout Catalonia.

! Almost 25% of the Government of Catalonia’s roads are at an altitude above 600 m. Consequently, ice and snow may occur during the entire winter period.

Catalan road network by government agency



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Ice-related incidents on roads

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These incidents can occur when the temperature drops to 3ºC, depending on relative humidity

! In all Catalonia, the temperature is liable to drop to 3ºC once a year. Consequently, there is a risk of patches of ice forming on the roads.

! Data from the past show that there are on average 120 ice-related incidents on roads every year.

! This figure may vary considerably from year to year, as it is closely linked to the weather. For example:

Minimum temperature (ºC) (December – March)

Ice-related incidents during the 2012-2013 winter season

! 2009: 259 ice-related incidents ! 2011: 64 ice-related incidents



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Snow-related incidents on roads

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These incidents can occur when it snows and the snow settles on the roads

! All of Catalonia, except the coastal area in the southern third, is liable to experience at least one day of snow a year.

! Data from the past show that there are on average 200 snow-related incidents on roads in Catalonia every year.

! This figure may vary considerably from year to year, as it is closely linked to the weather. For example:

Snow-related incidents during the 2012-2013 winter season

! 2007: 64 snow-related incidents ! 2009: 521 snow-related incidents

Annual number of days of precipitation in the form of snow



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Avalanche-related incidents on roads

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These can occur when it snows abundantly, the temperature is low and there are prevailing winds

Snow cover at Comalada (2075 m) and Cap del Port (2245 m) 2012-13

! The main avalanche-related incidents on Catalan roads occur, principally, on the C-28 at the Bonaigua Pass and the C-142b at the access to El Pla de Beret.

! On average, the number of avalanches mapped in recent years is 4 per winter season.

! As in the case of snow and ice, this figure can vary widely every year.


XIV CONGRÉS INTERNACIONAL DE VIABILITAT INVERNAL Andorra, 4-‐7 February 2014

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Objectives

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1. Ensure safety, smooth flow and comfort on roads during the winter period.

2. Minimize the length of time that road restrictions are in place or roads are closed.

3. Reduce road deterioration caused by ice and snow.

4. Manage operations effectively and efficiently, and ensure that the overall cost is acceptable.



Organization and available resources 2



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Vic Road Control Centre

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The Vic Road Control Centre is the base for monitoring the state of the roads 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, and activating the action and emergency plans.

During the 2012-2013 winter season, the Vic Road Control Centre registered the following:

Location of winter road maintenance incidents (2012-2013)

Vic Road Control Centre

Incidents 5,800

Winter road maintenance incidents 143

Winter maintenance incidents



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Road operation centres

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Types Centres

Indirect management (concession) 12

Direct management 25

Total 37

Location of road operation centres

! The service is provided in all of Catalonia due to 37 road operation centres distributed throughout the territory.

! Resources are allocated according to the characteristics of each area. For example::

Tortosa centre 1 snowplough

Esterri d’Àneu centre 8 snowploughs

Direct management

Indirect management (concession)



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Available machinery

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120 machines

7 machines

Over half the machines are located in the northern third of Catalonia, and 20 units are dedicated to the maintenance of the four main roads that provide access to the Pyrenees.

SNOWPLOUGHS SNOW BLOWERS



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Bulk salt storage facilities

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Location of the bulk salt storage facilities

29 stores

35 silos

To carry out the winter road maintenance activities, various sites throughout the Catalan territory have silos and stores of salt and brine.

De-icing agent Amount

Salt 10,996 t

Brine 110 m3

The silos and stores contain the following:



Action plans 3



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Preventive Winter Road Maintenance Plan

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This plan is activated mainly to stop patches of ice from forming and to prevent snow from settling

! On the basis of data from the meteorological stations (MeteoCat and DGIMT) that provide information on:

! Experience and optimization of routes.

! Winter Road Maintenance Management System.

! Temperature on the road ! Humidity ! Wind

! Salt or brine is spread on the road, depending on the humidity, to stop patches of ice or snow from forming on the road.

! This plan is fully operational for over 150 days a year.

! This type of actions are carried out on 60% of the km covered by snow removal machines.

How are the areas that require action selected? Characteristics



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Curative Winter Road Maintenance and Snow Removal Plan

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This plan is activated to remove patches of ice and snow that have appeared on roads

! When one of the following groups informs the centres that there is snow on the roads:

! Users

! Mossos d’Esquadra police force

! Monitoring teams (DGIMT)

! Winter Road Maintenance Management

System

! Salt is spread on the road to eliminate patches of ice and snow that have formed. Treatments are carried out according to the temperature and humidity.

! This plan is usually implemented approximately 30 days a year.

! This kind of action is carried out on almost 40% of the km of roads on which snow removal machines operate.

When is it activated? Characteristics



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Levels of priority of actions on the roads

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Priority 1 roads

Priority 2 roads



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Extraordinary episodes

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There is a legal and functional framework for responding to all emergencies caused by snow and avalanches

! To respond rapidly and effectively to minimize potential damage to people, property and the environment.

! Re-establish basic services for the population as quickly as possible (particularly transport).

Special Snow Emergency Plan (NeuCat)

Special Avalanche Emergency Plan (AllauCat)

OBJECTIVES:

Level 1 Risk Situation

From 0 m to 600 m > 0 cm

From 600 m to 800 m > 5 cm

From 800 m to 1,500 m > 20 cm

Level 2 Risk Situations

From 0 m to 400 m > 5 cm

From 400 m to 800 m > 20 cm

From 800 m to 1,500 m > 40 cm

Road network risk situations due to the effects of snowfalls:



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General data

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2012 – 2013 winter season

Total distance covered 570,344 km

Hours worked 20,149 hours

km covered in curative actions and snow removal

km covered in preventive operations

Km

. K

m.



Winter Road Maintenance Management in the Government of Catalonia’s Road Network


Ferran Camps Roqué

Deputy Director-General for Road Network Operations Directorate-General for Land Transport Infrastructure [email protected]

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Ferran campswinterroadmaintenancemanagementgeneralitatcatalunya2013